I am writing in response to the letter in your Saturday edition in which Mr. Stanley Reed criticized the Army for awarding medals to soldiers wearing their combat uniforms.

Mr. Reed: In your letter you said “I really don’t mean to offend anyone.” If not offending was truly your intention, you might have considered not sending the letter.

Apparently, you are not familiar with some Army customs. I served in ground operations in Vietnam and Desert Storm and various assignments before, after and in-between. In my experience, combat medals were usually presented to soldiers proudly wearing their jungle fatigues, BDUs (Battle Dress Uniforms) or flight suits in which they earned them.

While I have seen some exceptions, like Medals of Honor presented on the South Lawn of the White House, awards received while wearing dress greens tend to be for service outside the combat zone. Part of the reason for combat award ceremonies in combat uniforms is the fact that front line soldiers, whose job is to confront the enemy directly, enjoy being distinguished from other military personnel who don’t normally do that.

The military services certainly have different customs. For example, when an Army officer is selected for promotion he or she waits out the months until the promotion becomes legally effective, and then has a proper promotion ceremony in front of the command. We Army people always thought it odd that, once the selection board’s results were announced, Navy officers would pin on the insignia of their FUTURE rank and report for work wearing it. Different strokes….

Last week I was embarrassed to see a Whidbey News-Times front page photo of an officer draped in a United States flag. We Army people have always considered that to be a desecration. My knee-jerk reaction was to write a letter to the editor to express my displeasure. In my letter I railed on questioning whether or not the pilot considered himself too busy watching and re-watching his favorite Tom Cruse movie to study flag etiquette. After I finished it, I set the letter aside and, upon reconsideration, I decided I was ignorant of enough Navy customs that I should prudently not send it.

My pen remained quiet until your letter inspired me to send this one. I really do not mean to offend anyone.

Vin Sherman lives in Coupeville.